Chapter 97

Pierre hadn't been able to rest for the last few days. He kept having nightmares and in those nightmares, he saw Lucian. Every night, his brother while looking like the devil would haunt him and drag him to hell.

"Feel at home brother." He would say and then leave him there to burn.

The nightmares would feel so real that when he woke up he would be drenched in sweat and his heart would beat like drums inside his chest. It didn't help that rumors about his brother being alive were making rounds and it was scaring the hell out of him even if he didn't want to admit it. Everytime he went to sleep he would feel as if someone was in his room, watching him and waiting patiently for an opportunity to strike. It was making him lose his mind.

"Come out! Show yourself ! Don't hide like a coward." He yelled but no one replied or showed themselves.

Everyone was starting to think that he was crazy, talking to himself and yelling without a reason.

At first, he tried to hide his fear and frustration but now he no longer cared what people thought of him. He just wanted this torture to end. He was sleep-deprived and he felt exhausted for everyday that passed by.

Tonight while he had dinner at his chamber he kept looking at his bed. He didn't look forward to sleeping. Maybe he could go to one of his mistresses and sleep there instead of alone. Why hadn't he thought of that before?

Standing up from his seat he went to the mirror. He had to make sure that he looked good before he left the room but while he glared at his horrible state in the mirror a guard suddenly barged inside the room.

"Your highness. We are under attack." He exhaled.

"What do you mean attack?! Who is attacking?"

"The royal army. I don't understand why." The guard seemed confused.

Pierre on the other hand knew why. It was his brother Lucian. He had come for him just like in his nightmares and now he would drag him to hell. All those years he mocked his brother for being the devil's son without truly believing it but now all that turned out to be true.

"Your highness. We need to take you to a secure place. Please follow me."

But Pierre couldn't move. He was in too much shock. He didn't know where to begin.

The guard grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him out of the room.

"Protect the King." He ordered the other guards. "and clear the way. Our priority is to take the king somewhere safe."

"No place is safe. The army seems to know their way around. Someone on the inside is probably working with them." Another guard spoke.

"Its Lucian." Pierre breathed after holding his breath for what seemed like hours. "He has come to kill me."

The guards looked at him as if he was insane and maybe, he was. He would find out soon.

"We can take him through the secret passage." The first guard suggested.

Pierre knew there was no use in escaping. Lucian knew every passage in the castle.

"We are all going to die." Pierre whispered his eyes wide in fear.

"Not yet brother."

A shiver went down Pierre's spine. This voice he knew very well and he never thought that he would hear it again. Slowly he turned around and just right behind him a few feet away stood his brother, Lucian. He looked just like he remembered and not like someone who came back from the dead.

Pierre's guards froze in place, their eyes wide in both shock and fear. Their arms shook while they held their swords up in a defensive way. Pierre wanted to tell them to attack but the words couldn't form in his mouth. It felt as though his tongue was paralyzed.

Lucian took a step forward and the guards held out their swords.

"Stay were you are." One of them warned but it sounded like a plead.

"Put your swords down." Lucian ordered.

The guards hesitated and seemed confused as to what to do.

"While I am being nice." Lucian added.

One of them dropped his sword because he was shaking to much. "How...is this...possible?"

Lucian narrowed his gaze. "You…" He began pointing at the guards. "You are the one who burned me? Aren't you?"

The guard fell on his knees. "I...I...I am sorry y..yo..your highness. Please don't kill me." He stuttered.

The other guard fell on his knees as well. "Please don't kill me, your highness. I swear my loyalty to you."

The first guard shook his head violently. "Yes me too. I swear my loyalty to you."

Pierre stood there confused. His guards just abandoned him. Should he run? But to where?

"I don't need your loyalty but I'll give you a head start." Lucian said looking amused. "Run as fast as you can because if I catch you, I'll burn you alive."

Even though his brother was not speaking to him Pierre felt like running but instead, he fell to his knees as his legs couldn't hold him up anymore. There was something very frightening about Lucian and he couldn��t quite put his finger on what it was. The fact that his brother didn't look at him once only added to his fear.

"Your highness please, we will do whatever you want. I have a family." One of them cried.

"I said run!" Lucian repeated and this time they got up quickly and ran away clumsily.

Then ever so slowly Lucian turned his gaze to Pierre. "Why so quiet brother? You were so good with words."

Pierre felt wetness on his face as if someone poured water over his head, but he knew it was his own sweat. He must have looked so little and pathetic. He tried to gather some courage but as he gazed into Lucian's eyes he saw a rage like no other. This was the end, he thought.

Lucian took more steps forward and then crouched so that they were on the same level. He looked Pierre in the eyes.

"You are mistaken brother. This is not the end. It's only the beginning." He said.

He could read his thoughts. Pierre felt his head spin and black spots began to cover his eyes before everything became dark.

Lucian stared at his brothers unconscious body on the ground. He was really disappointed but he would get to torture his brother eventually. First, he would let him get over his state of shock and get a grip over reality and then he would begin with his favorite task. Torture.

For now, he orders his men to throw Pierre into a cell and he proceeded to find the ones who threw him into a well and burned him. As usual, they tried to gain some sympathy by mentioning that they had families.

"Your highness please. I have a family. They can't live without me."

"And I didn't have a family?" Lucian raised a brow.

"That's not what I meant. I was...I was just following orders."

"No you were not. Pierre told you to get rid of my body. The natural thing would be to bury it, not throw it in a well and burn it to ashes."

The soldier's eyes darted around unsure of what to say next. Lucian nodded for his men to take them away.

"No, no. Your Highness, please! I promise to serve you with loyalty for the rest of my life. Please spare me once." They called as they got dragged away.

Lucian was too tired right now to torture them and he did not want to kill them yet. He would take care of more important things first and then he would enjoy his revenge.

"Your Highness." Callum came walking toward him with Hazel trailing behind. Lucian noticed the blood that seeped down her arm.

"What happened?" He asked and rushed to her.

"Nothing." She smiled. "Just a little cut."

Callum fell on one knee and bowed his head. "I'll accept my punishment." He said in a regretful voice.

Hazel chuckled. "He is funny. There will be no punishment. You protected me well. Get up on your feet." She ordered.

Lucian realized that Hazel had become much more strong and confident. She must have gone through a lot for her to change so drastically, he thought. Anyway, he liked this version of her.

Callum got up on his feet and that's when Lucian realized that he had lost his man to Hazel. He would not have stood up without his order otherwise. Callum would now be more loyal to Hazel than anyone.

"You disappoint me Callum." Lucian said with humor, meaning that he got hurt.

Callum looked at him carefully. "I am sorry, Your Highness." He said genuinely.

"Don't be. I just hope she chooses you the way you chose her."

Callum looked at Hazel and she looked at them both confused. Just when she was about to say something, Lucians men gathered and informed him that everything was done accordingly and now the castle was his. After such a long time he was back home, the home he never liked but now that would change. He would make this place into a real home, with his wife and he would make it up to her for all the mistakes he had done.

"Well, while we are at it, why don't you choose your own two personal guards." Lucian suggested turning to Hazel. "You can choose anyone except for Lincoln."

"I don't need personal guards." Hazel whispered.

"Yes you do. You will be no princess anymore, you'll be a queen." Lucian whispered back.

Hazel looked at the guards but not for too long. "I chose Callum and Oliver." She said.

They both came forward, bent a knee in front of her and swore their loyalty. Lucian found it all amusing. He was so used to having his men only obeying him and now he would have to get used to them obeying his wife.

Hazel left with her guards to treat her wound and Lucian went ahead to take care of the rest.

"How are things going?" Lucian asked Julian.

"We have informed the people of this kingdom that you will be their king and general Black is preparing for your coronation tomorrow."

Lucian nodded. He couldn't believe how fast things happened. Would the people of this kingdom accept him as their king or would there be more war?

"You said you would take care of the witches. How?"

"You don't have to worry about the witches. We don't like unnecessary fights. You are a drosht and half-demon, your father is the devil himself and your mother is a very powerful witch, now even half-demon I guess. The witches would be fools to pick a fight with you unless they are sure they will win, and witches are anything but fools." Julian explained.

He couldn't say the same about the demons.

"And what if they want to fight."

"Then there will be a problem because it means they have gathered really powerful witches. Those are scary." Julian pointed.

"Do you know the most powerful witch?" Lucian asked.

"There is no most powerful. The leader of every coven are the most powerful ones."

"Then arrange for me to meet your leader." Lucian ordered.

Julian hesitated. "Your Highness. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Just do it." Lucian insisted.

Julian nodded then left.

Lucian sat back down with a sigh. He had too many things to take care of. Humans, witches, demons, it was just too much.

He lay back and closed his eyes. He knew he had a lot to do but he just wanted to rest for a short while. Hazel next to him would make it all better.

Hazel. He called her inside her mind. He wasn't sure if she would hear it but he hoped so. After a while he heard the door open, some footsteps and she was laying next to him on the bed.

He didn't open his eyes, he just inhaled her sweet scent, mixed with blood.

"Did you treat your wound?" He asked.

"Yes."

"And your maids are safe?"

"Yes."

"And.." before he could ask any further Hazel pressed her lips to his and kissed him viciously.

"You worry too much, husband." She said after breaking the kiss.

Lucian put on arm around her waist and flipped her over so that he was laying on top.

"Now you should worry, because I won't let you out of this bed."